The day the imperial decree arrived was a beautiful, sunny one, and the person who came to announce it to Song Yunzhao was an acquaintance: Zhang Maoquan.
At the same time, heading to Huayang Palace was Xu Sixi, who held a rank equal to Zhang Maoquan's. In the imperial court, these two were second only to Meng Jiuchang.
Song Yunzhao couldn't recall the ornate, flowery prose of the imperial decree, nor the Emperor's formulaic, insincere praise of her supposed intelligence and pure heart. Her eyes were fixed on the small seal that designated her a Noble Consort.
The seal wasn't large, but it carried significant weight. It was the foundation for her future in the palace, the proof that her rank was now official.
Zhang Maoquan rolled up the imperial decree, took a step forward, and presented it to Song Yunzhao, who had risen to her feet. "Congratulations, Consort Song."
